Indefinite Delivery Contract W911QY19D0046

The U.S. Army Materiel Command's Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) has awarded a series of firm-fixed-price delivery orders to Mills Manufacturing Corporation, a family-owned manufacturer of military parachute systems and components, under a $249 million Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) for the T-11 Personnel Parachute System. Mills Manufacturing, based in Woodfin, North Carolina, is the prime contractor for this IDC and has received multiple delivery orders ranging from $60,000 to over $11 million for the production and delivery of complete T-11 parachute systems, spare parts, and associated components like deployment bags and harnesses. The T-11 Personnel Parachute System is a critical piece of soldier safety equipment used in mass-tactical static line airdrop operations, allowing soldiers to wear body armor with higher exit weights and land with reduced force and oscillation. While not set aside for small businesses, Mills Manufacturing's expertise and manufacturing capabilities have made it a trusted supplier of these parachute-related products across various Department of Defense agencies.

The original pre-solicitation notice indicated that the U.S. Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground, Natick Contracting Division was procuring the T-11 Personnel Parachute System on behalf of the Product Manager - Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment. The system is part of the Advanced Tactical Parachute System designed to improve safety and performance for soldiers conducting airborne operations. The full and open solicitation was released in February 2019, with a requirements firm-fixed-price contract anticipated to be awarded to a qualified manufacturer on the associated Qualified Products List.